Does that Milwaukee winter weather seem to cause discomfort on your braces and teeth? Cold weather can lead to some tooth pain and affect the way your braces feel. Teeth will expand and contract when responding to extreme cold temperatures. When this occurs, your teeth may become more sensitive causing your braces to feel a…
All About Retainers
A little info about your retainer
Soft Drinks and Your Braces
What can soft drinks do to my teeth if I wear braces? Click here to learn more
October is National Orthodontic Month
4 Ways Your Smile Changes As You Age
It’s no secret, as you age, so does your smile. Teeth wear down as we chew our way through a lifetime of meals. Did you also know, teeth can move and shift well into adulthood? Here’s a roundup of 4 common changes orthodontists see in patients as they age:
1. Bottom teeth crowding
As you age, your jaw bone loses density and shrinks. The mismatched size of the jaw bone with teeth can lead to crowding of the bottom front teeth. Crowding can also occur because other issues such as breathing through your mouth, reverse swallowing, tongue thrusting or facial trauma.
2. Front teeth gap
Space between two front teeth is referred to as a diastema, and it can develop for a variety of reasons. Crowding of teeth or unproportioned jaws and teeth can cause spacing to gradually occur. Swallowing, with the pressure of your tongue pushing against your front teeth, rather than positioning itself at the roof of your mouth, can also cause teeth to separate over time. Gum disease is another trigger for spacing, because of the inflammation.
Beware of Do-It-Yourself Orthodontics
Thousands of online videos offer purported “advice” and “instructions” on do-it-yourself (DIY) orthodontic care. The proliferation of misinformation led the American Association of Orthodontists to issue this consumer alert: Beware of Internet videos and websites which encourage people to try and straighten their own teeth. Moving teeth is a medical procedure and needs personal supervision…